Los Alamos transportation staff outline Denver Steels Phase 2 road, sidewalk and utility reconstruction

Los Alamos Public Works and the Department of Public Utilities presented details Apr. 3, 2025 on the Denver Steels Phase 2 project, a full reconstruction of streets including 30 Sixth Street, Pueblo Drive, Cuesta Drive, Ridgeway Drive and part of 30 Fifth Street that would add ADA curb ramps, reconstruct sidewalks where present and replace sections of the water distribution system.

The project matters because it affects household water service, mail and delivery access, pedestrian and bicycle access in the Denver Steels neighborhood and because staff are seeking state transportation funds to pay for a large portion of the work. Public Works described construction staging, traffic-management options and a public-notification plan; residents used the hearing to press for sewer repairs, parking solutions and assurances about driveway and water access during construction.

Public Works said the roadway budget was estimated at $6,350,000 (including New Mexico gross receipts tax) and presented a separate water/utility budget figure. In the presentation staff referred to a utility budget of $1,000,500; later in the presentation a utility cost estimate of $1,500,000 was also stated. Staff said the roadway project was listed in the county Capital Improvement Program for fiscal year 2025 and that the county submitted an application to the New Mexico Transportation Project Fund (TPF), administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, through the Northern Pueblo Rural Transportation Planning Organization; the TPF application is due at the end of May 2025.

Project scope and schedule Public Works described full pavement reconstruction, curb and gutter, valley gutters, replacement or repair of existing sidewalks, ADA curb ramps with truncated domes for people who are blind or visually impaired, new or replaced driveway pads where needed, and utilities work that includes replacement of water main, water services and installation of new 36-inch water meter cans where required. The presentation said design work was completed by county staff and anticipated that construction would be let for bid in spring 2025 with anticipated completion in summer 2026; staff also said rising construction costs required additional funding and pushed the construction start several months later than initially hoped, with construction likely to begin after July 2025 and continue into 2026.

Utility coordination and broadband Staff told residents the DPU (Department of Public Utilities) will replace water mains and move meter cans toward the curb or behind the curb where feasible; where a wall or other obstruction prevents that, cans will be placed in the sidewalk. Public Works said the county will install conduit for the county broadband rollout as part of the phase 2 work; county staff and DPU representatives said electrical service upgrades (buried electrical conduits or new transformers and private service conversions) are not part of this project because that work would require additional equipment at homes and higher costs.

Public comments and staff responses Residents asked about sewer repairs, parking, driveway access, wall remediation and water outages. Staff said the neighborhood’s sewer lines are currently slip-lined (a rehabilitation technique) and that the county is not proposing full sewer replacement as part of this project. In response to concerns about service interruptions, DPU staff said planned water tie-ins will be scheduled with advance notice and typically require four to six hours to restore service; staff said customers will receive a 48-hour notice before planned outages. On driveway access, Public Works said residents will have access about 99% of the time; trenching will be done in sections and the contractor will notify residents in advance.

Several residents raised parking and pedestrian-safety concerns. Staff said they considered options such as raised curbs to discourage parking on sidewalks but rejected broad curb changes that would narrow streets and likely force restrictions that some neighbors opposed during phase 1. Public Works said it will continue to consult the neighborhood and adjust traffic-control plans to reduce impacts where feasible.

Public outreach and next steps Staff said the county will distribute door hangers to directly impacted residents 48 hours before temporary construction impacts, and that broader notices will be sent to local media and through the Cone Zone construction-notification system. Written comments on the project were requested by Apr. 17, 2025, and may be submitted to the Public Works Department at 1000 Central Avenue, Suite 160, Los Alamos, NM 87544, by phone at (505) 662-8150 or by email at lacpw@lacnm.us. Staff said they will continue to pursue state TPF funding and will return to procurement once funding and bid timing are confirmed.

Why this matters locally The project reconstructs neighborhood streets and utilities that serve households and delivery services and provides conduit for the county broadband rollout. Residents who parked on sidewalks, who depend on access during wildfire evacuations, and those with aging retaining walls said they wanted the county to consider additional repairs; staff said repairs to private walls are not included unless damage is caused by construction or the facility lies in the county right-of-way.

— Reporting from the Los Alamos Transportation Board meeting, Apr. 3, 2025.